Coroner Purchases Shrink-Wrap Maching For Dead Bodies

[matcom]

<snip>

OLYMPIA, Wash. -- In the case of a natural disaster or terrorist attack, some emergency officials in Western Washington plan to be prepared -- with a large, shrink wrap machine.

The Thurston County Coroner's Office recently won approval to purchase a machine able to shrink-wrap human remains. The process would make it easier to transport a large number of bodies.

After the bodies have been autopsied and identified, they would be zipped into body bags, placed on a plywood trays and covered with cardboard lids.

The trays would then be pushed through the machine and come out in shrink-wrapped packages. The wrapped bodies would be easier to carry than body bags and less disturbing for workers, county Coroner Judy Arnold recently told The Olympian newspaper.

"It's hard to think of people in those terms," she said. "But it's a matter of logistics, and we want to do it in the best and the most respectable way for both the deceased and the family."

The coroner's office has already started a bidding process to find a company to build the machine. A Homeland Security grant will pay for the machine, which will cost an estimated $50,000.

http://www.boston.com/news/odd/articles/2005/02/18/coroner_wants_to_shrink_wrap_bodies/

[underpants]

1. If I am not mistaken I believe this is a centuries old tradition

passed on from generation to generation of the Native American tribes in the area.

It's not real you can look it up.

[Dogmudgeon]

2. Where did they cultivate the Shrink-Wrap trees?

"You call it Shrink-Wrap, we call it Saran."

--p!

[punpirate]

3. Yeah, maybe...

... encasing a body in a shroud is common among many ancient cultures, but I don't think any of them used Cling-Wrap.... :P